Related Articles
Screenshot by Scott Webtser/CNET
Google has been busy the last few days with updates to the official Android Developers blog. With new code samples and resources, the blog is becoming a better resource for the very people who Google depends on to elevate the platform.
On Thursday, Google unveiled the Device Dashboard, which breaks down the current composition of devices accessing the Android Market. The tool is designed to help current and prospective developers get a feel for which versions of Android they should be coding.
The Dashboard already shows that writing for Android 1.1 would be a waste of time, as only 0.3 percent of current handsets are running it. On the other hand, Android 2.0 and 2.1 already account for nearly 18 percent of all handsets accessing the Android Market. Two handsets running Android 1.6, the T-Mobile G1 and MyTouch 3G, make up a majority at 54 percent.
The dashboard is a welcome move to developers who were upset over the different builds of Android that already exist. At least now they have a better understanding about which versions have the most traction and which might be dying off.
Yesterday, Google also released a new set of sample codes to help developers understand some of the features found in Android 1.6 and 2.0. These codes range from creating interactive home screen widgets to getting your applications to speak using text-to-speech (speech synthesis). The developer site got an additional makeover, as a new “Resources” tab now lists frequently asked questions (FAQs), tutorials, and technical articles.
